


Our Picture

by Tasharii



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mild Language, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 04:37:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15789102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tasharii/pseuds/Tasharii
Summary: Public displays of affection have always been a no go. Especially after they started dating. And this is why.





	Our Picture

**Author's Note:**

> Needed to write some fluff for my favorite boys. Hope you like it!  
> This was inspired by a Write Your OTP challenge I saw a while ago. Couldn’t find it again when I looked, but let me know what you think :)  
> [Tumblr Version](https://tasharii.tumblr.com/post/177361913038/our-picture)

Steve’s hand lightly brushed the back of his hand. Bucky couldn’t help but smile at the gentle touch against his knuckles. They were wearing the usual baseball caps, and civilian clothes. Steve even opted in for thick, black rimmed glasses, reminiscent to the ones Nat once put on him, making him almost look like a damned hipster. Despite being as inconspicuous as they possibly could, they had to be careful. So, smiling playfully, Bucky flicked Steve’s hand away and kept walking.

Amused, Steve cursed quietly, shook out the sting in his knuckles and followed behind him. The huge masses of water stretched out floor to ceiling took their breath away. It was a beautiful, and the sparkling fish, big and small, was amazing to see up close. Bucky paused, watching as a hammer head shark swam by, and nearly pressed his nose to the glass. The creature glided down in front of him only to twist to the side and head further up, its belly showing, till he had to crane his neck to keep watching.

Seeing another opportunity, Steve saddled up beside him, and ran his pinky down the side of his boyfriend’s hand. Bucky didn’t even look at him. Didn’t even react aside from curling his pinky around Steve’s in return. Steve smirked. It was becoming one of his favorite games to see what he could get away with to push at Bucky’s limits. Especially in public. Especially when they agreed not to.

“I thought we had to be careful.” Bucky mused, quietly. A little girl stood on his other side, chattering loudly to her mother about the octopus coasting along the bottom of the tank. He stayed facing the tank but tilted his head to watch her in the reflection of the glass. She was only about 5 and seemed to be reciting everything she knew about every creature she saw. With so much pride that he couldn’t help but smile. Just like her mother.

Softly, Steve squeezed Bucky’s finger, bringing his attention back. Then stepped a little closer so that their hands were blocked by their legs “No one’s paying attention. Sides, I doubt they’re expecting Captain America and his trusty side-kick to be going on a date at an aquarium.” He grinned a little more when he immediately felt Bucky’s disdain. When he double checked his friend’s expression, he was rewarded with exactly what he expected.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bucky shot him a scowl, squeezing a little too hard on Steve’s fingers “The Winter Soldier is no one’s damn side kick. Especially not a guy jumpin around in star-spangled tights.” He blew out a breath and tracked the movement of the octopus, as it started to eat on a poor little crab. Wasn’t much of a fight.

Trying to be offended, Steve snorted haughtily, barely managing to keep his voice down “I thought you liked the uniform.” This argument was almost as old as they were. Like singing along to a favorite song. It just kept getting better. He turned to the side to stare at Bucky’s profile, and brought his eyebrows together, pouting. His eyes were bright, accented by the fake glasses. The beautiful aquarium that they spent a ridiculous fee to get into, was now completely ignored in favor of winning this argument.

It was hard to keep a straight face when Captain America gave his puppy eyes. Bucky tilted his head and smiled under the brim of his Dodgers cap “Oh you know I love the uniform.” He gave into Steve then, lacing their fingers together and tugging him along. When Steve gave a satisfied hum, Bucky shoulder checked him playfully “Stop acting so damn proud of yourself.”

“Language.”

“Fuck you.”

A loud laugh echoed across the stone and glass hallway, and Bucky tried, but failed, to shush him as people started to stare. Quickly, Steve covered his mouth, but the fussier Bucky got, the more he couldn’t stop laughing. He rubbed at his watering eyes under the glasses, and shook his head, trying to apologize but his words were lost. Even his shoulders started to shake, and he couldn’t stand up straight.

They stopped in front of the jelly fish tank, and Steve leaned against the cool glass as he caught his breath. Bucky stood in front of him, rubbing at his forehead and grumbling to himself. A huge, swirling swarm of dark red jellyfish floated behind Steve. He turned his head to watch one go by and absently wondered how bad it would hurt to be stung by one. The standalone plaque just a hair away informed him that they were black nettle jellyfish. So probably a lot.

“God bless you don’t know what ‘under the radar’ means do you? Stupid.” Bucky subtly glanced around as he chastised Steve, who was ignoring him in favor of the jellies, “Pepper will kill us if we come out before she’s prepped the press.” There weren’t many people, or things, that Bucky found himself scared of. Having been considered nothing short of the Boogieman himself, there wasn’t much left to be afraid of.

Pepper Potts fell on that very short list.  
Right behind the Chair and losing his best guy.

Unperturbed, Steve faced Bucky with a mischievous little smile. The kind of smile that lit a fire in Bucky’s stomach, but also sent warning bells off in his head. “Sorry Buck.” Something in the way he said it, made it seem like he wasn’t sorry at all.

“What are you up to…” Suspicious, Bucky narrowed his eyes and pointed a finger at the idiot in front of him. The dimple in his chin deepened cutely with his frown.

Steve’s smile grew, and even the glasses couldn’t hide his wicked intentions “Nothin.” He used Bucky’s hand to pull him forward. Then swiftly crossed through the rest of the deep-water exhibit and passed under the wide stone archway into the water mammals exhibit. With the polar bear, penguins, otters, and other such creatures. The aquarium was closing soon, so there were less people in this part of the display. Steve stepped to the side and shuffled back until his shoulders met the column of the archway cornering off there. A polar bear swam around a bit of the icy water to his left. It stopped to stare at them only for a second before going back to its business, much like the people going by.

Very few people walked down the wide hall, and most were sufficiently distracted. Steve pushed up the brim of his hat, letting a tuft of his blonde hair poke out, and situated Bucky to stand between his legs. The cool dampness of the rocky arch sunk through the fabric of his brown leather jacket. Even the glass against his arm was cold, but he smiled sweetly at the brunet.

“You worry too much.” Steve teased, taking Bucky’s other hand and bringing it up, lightly brushing the scarred knuckles against his lips. He peeked at Bucky from under his lashes, and the glasses brushed cold against his hand. The cool of the plastic, and heat of Steve’s mouth contrasted sinfully well.

With all his heart he tried to scowl, really truly did, but a small smile betrayed him, making Bucky’s face scrunch up “And you’re terrible.” He chuckled and shook his head, the tips of his hair curling, disheveled around his chin “Seriously awful. Just like a little punk I used to know. He was always gettin’ me into trouble.” He squeezed Steve’s other hand with his left, and rubbed his thumb against the blonde’s inner wrist, feeling his pulse.

“Really? Sounds like a great guy.” Steve played along, moving his arms so that Bucky’s hands were on his shoulders, then he wrapped his own around his slender waist. Bucky was forced to take a step closer, now fully between his legs. Penguins to their right splashed in and out of the water, squawking and carrying on. The noise echoed from speakers, across the tall ceilings and floors, making their voices less noticeable among the chaos.

“He was cute, but no one ever noticed how much of a shit he was.” Bucky smirked, and his flesh fingers rubbed the back of Steve’s neck, while his gloved thumb stroked his jaw. “Everyone thought I was the bad influence.” He shook his head “Couldn’t believe such a scrawny fish stick was actually the one charging where he didn’t belong.”

Steve’s mouth popped open, offended “Excuse me. This fish stick saved your ass.” He rubbed at Bucky’s hips under his shirt and pressed a little harder than necessary.

“Language.” Bucky chastised, and then he cut off Steve’s retort by pressing his thumb to his mouth. Leaned just a bit closer. Their noses almost touched. Slowly, he grinned in the best, possible wicked sort of way “Wouldn’t want America hearing their sweet innocent Captain talking dirty like that.” The words rolled sensually off his tongue, making Steve’s heart skip eight beats all at once.

Heat coiling in his stomach, Steve bit at Bucky’s metal thumb over the glove. His tongue brushed the material, and he spoke around the pressure on his bottom lip “Then they’d really hate to hear about the things you have my mouth doin’ half the time. You bad influence.”

The newly added pressure, and temperature nerves, curtsey of Tony Stark, sent chills up his arm and down his spine. Bucky’s lips nearly brushed Steve’s, his face flushing and eyes half-lidded “Now we both know, I couldn’t make you do anythin’ you didn’t already wanna do.” His gaze dropped down to Steve’s mouth, and he brushed his thumb to the side, leaving a slightly wet trail behind as he gripped Steve’s jaw harder. Hard enough to hurt if he was anyone else.

“You should really. Really shut up.” Steve muttered, and then tugged Bucky forward by his belt loops. Immediately, his mouth surged down to swipe the words out of the assassin’s mouth with his tongue. The softness of Bucky’s mouth took his breath away. Steve’s hands rucked up Buck’s shirt, so he could touch the hot skin of his lower back, and his tongue flicked against his lips. Tasted just inside the brunet’s mouth and sucked on his lower lip.

Kissing Bucky always felt contradictory. Even before their relationship, he knew Bucky well enough to know what he would taste like. When they were 15, Buck would have tasted like those smokes he bummed off the other workers at the docks. Or like the terrible, patchy vegetable stew their moms tried to throw together when Steve was sick. At 19 he would have tasted like the expensive oranges he brought home every time he won a boxing match. Maybe a little like copper from a busted lip.

Steve used to suck on the peeling of those oranges, trying to stop craving the real thing.

In the war he would have tasted like the smell of gunpowder. Like their rations and shitty coffee.

So tasting Bucky felt familiar cause he couldn’t remember a time before he dreamt about it. But kissing him always felt new. They’d probably shared a hundred first kisses now.

This was their first public kiss. The first kiss that they couldn’t keep themselves from. That broke past their will power and to throttle them with heat.

Bucky opened his mouth wide for Steve’s tongue, and danced his along it. His hands pressed against Steve’s neck, tilting his head so he could taste his mouth in return. Their chests were flush, and Steve’s hands ran up his back, under his jean jacket. The touch sent warmth down into Bucky’s belly where it spread like fire and fought with his precise self-control.

He pulled back just enough, so he could bite Steve’s bottom lip. Exactly in the right way to drive the blonde crazy, and then surged back in. His hand ran down the front of Steve’s too-tight white t-shirt. Then stopped his fingers right on the waist of his pants, dipping his ring finger just underneath to tease the patch of skin there. When Steve groaned, he smirked and pulled back to say something snarky, only to freeze.

There was a flash in his peripheral. It wasn’t from the penguins or the security camera in the corner of the ceiling.

Steve felt Bucky stiffen, and he frowned, eyes fluttering open to stare at him, confused “What’s wrong?” His fingers bunched in his lover’s shirt, rubbing a soothing circle against the tense muscle.

Bucky blinked, and then turned his head just in time to see a group of teenage girls quickly walking away. Further down the hall and then around the corner. They were giggling and whispering to each other. One kept looking back despite her friends trying to tug her along.

Steve followed Bucky’s line of sight, looking over his head with a frown “Did that person just take a picture of us?” He asked slowly, and a lot calmer than should be possibly. Reluctantly, he dropped his hands back down to just hold Bucky’s hips, subtly fixing the brunet’s clothes as he did so.

Bucky groaned and let his head fall against Steve’s chest, his hat dropping to the ground “Ya Steve. Ya… she just did.” Mournfully, he flopped his arms to his sides, only letting his forehead stay in contact.

“Should I try to get it back?” As soothingly as possible, Steve ran his fingers through his shaggy brown hair, petting him gently.

Immediately he shot back, practically growling in frustration, “Do you want to add ‘Harassing a Teenager’ to your list of fuckups today?”

Pouting, Steve stopped his petting and glared down at the crown of his head, “I’d be nice about it.”

“Cause a big hulking guy asking to see her phone wouldn’t be scary at all.” Bucky tilted his head up and let his chin press into Steve’s chest instead. He had to awkwardly slouch to make it work, but it was worth it to see the other man crane his head down to keep eye contact. It was a hilarious angle.

Hand still playing with Bucky’s hair, Steve raised his eyebrows, “Think they know who I am?”

“Probably.” Bucky finally sat up, dislodging himself, and scooped down to pick up his hat. He dusted it off against his pants, and put it back on with a huff.

“Then maybe she’d delete it cause Captain America told her to.” Slyly, the blonde grinned, and kicked off from the wall, following Bucky towards the exit, opposite of where the girls went.

“And give up those million-dollar pictures? Doubt it.” Bucky reached back as Steve caught up with him and threw his arm over Steve’s shoulders. Everything was fucked anyway. What did it matter now? Besides, this felt sweetly familiar, even if Steve was much bigger than he used to be.

Steve seemed to get the same idea. With way too much enthusiasm, he leaned over and kissed Bucky’s temple. The action made them stumble a little, and knocked his glasses askew on his face, “It’ll be alright. We’ve dealt with worse.” He grinned at Bucky’s scowl. Then laughed when the brunet reached up to fix his glasses for him, as if he was the greatest burden in the world.

And that was how Captain America became the national gay symbol of the world.

****

The paper slammed down in front of them on the desk with so much force that the coffee cup next to it jumped. Bucky grabbed at it, just managing to keep the steaming mug from spilling.

“Just one month. I asked for one damn month and you couldn’t even give me that. I swear to god all you Supers are just trying to give me a stroke!” Pepper’s voice zipped through Bucky’s skull just as terrifyingly as he imagined.

Both him and Steve sank back into their respective chairs. Hunkering down like children being scolded by their principal. Instead of meeting her piercing gaze, they studied the paper in front of them.

It was a front-page spread. Two very incriminating, no arguing what-your-seeing pictures. The first was of Bucky and Steve smiling at each other with Bucky’s hand on Steve’s jaw. Of course, naturally the second was them kissing. Not a sweet peck. A full-on, I’m-trying-to-fuck-your-mouth sort of kiss. Lewd. That was probably the right word.

In big bold letters on top of the pictures read: CAPTAIN AMERICA SWITCHES TEAMS

Pepper tapped at the paper, particularly the headline that had Bucky cringing a little “This is the nicer version than most.” She sighed and slumped down in her chair “I’ve already got everyone on damage control. No point in finding the photos. The web has them. But we’re promising interviews and writing up official statements. Figuring out the best way to spin the story properly.”

Bucky glanced over to Steve as he let Pepper’s voice become background noise. Air from the vent in the ceiling ruffled the dandelion fluff of his hair. His hands were in his lap, back straight, but his eyes were focused solely on the newspaper. Didn’t seem like he was absorbing much else. It took Bucky by surprise for a minute, until Steve looked at him. There was a fire there. And not the bad kind.

Steve reached forward and picked up the paper. Pepper was talking about a schedule, speeches, and interviews, but neither of them were listening anymore. The longer Bucky stared at the photo of them kissing, the more he understood the pressure of Steve’s fingers as they found his thigh.

It was kind of hot to have a picture of them kissing like that.

“Boys, this is kind of important.” Pepper cut through and snatched the paper from them. She dropped it back down on her desk. A curl of red hair fell out of her masterful bun, and her eyes flicked between them, looking for any comprehension at all.

“Yes mam.” Steve replied, wincing guilty, and flashing her his most charming grin. Still, his hand crept subtly to Bucky’s inner thigh, thumb rubbing delicious circles over his jeans. Bucky readjusted himself, leaning just a hair closer. Steve’s hand squeezed. Hard.

She merely sighed, picked up her coffee mug, taking a long sip. Of course, she knew when she had lost the room. Head in one hand as she gestured them out dismissively with her mug “Just be ready to go by 8 in the morning tomorrow.”

It took them all of five minutes to get back to their room and lock the door.  
They didn’t make it out again until exactly 8 the next morning.


End file.
